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I'm still a while away from getting rid of my 2 year old 330i but I've been looking at the Mini as a possible next car. I want something a little more fun but it still has to seat 4 people and have "reasonable" storage. Is the backseat and trunk space considerably smaller than the 330i or can you still tote 4 average size adults around in comfort and get 4 or 5 grocery bags in the trunk? The BMW Z4 and Honda S2000 are off my list as they are 2-seaters.

My car choice came down to the Cooper S or ZHP. I'm 6'3" and I can ride comfortably in the back of the Mini. Trunk space though, while the hatch is nice, the seats fold so high up that vertically there's not much space. Still, I don't think the 330 is much better.

As for which is more fun, I'd have to say the Mini, in which the controls feel a lot like an E36. On a track I'd think the ZHP is more fun, but just running around town or back roads I think the small, light Mini is a blast.

I'd wait for the new model next spring, it should have 175 hp but a lot of torque, plus better gas mileage.

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"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." - Cherokee Expression

I'm still a while away from getting rid of my 2 year old 330i but I've been looking at the Mini as a possible next car. I want something a little more fun but it still has to seat 4 people and have "reasonable" storage. Is the backseat and trunk space considerably smaller than the 330i or can you still tote 4 average size adults around in comfort and get 4 or 5 grocery bags in the trunk? The BMW Z4 and Honda S2000 are off my list as they are 2-seaters.

Thanks.

No, but we are eyeing a new MINI for the Wingspan stable...

Depends on what you mean by reasonable storage. With rear seats folded down there's quite a bit more storage than you would expect. Is it a Minivan? No.

I would like to see 4 average sized adults in a MINI

IMHO its a two-seater plus space for a 10 year old and/or a dwarf.

But they are 'sho nuff a blast to drive and cute as a bug. I want one .

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“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.”

I find the boot of my new MINI to be plenty for groceries. Be sure to get the boot net though so that your fresh head of lettuce does not go flying around the boot if you decide to make a canyon run before heading home... lol

Maybe I should take another test drive in the mini because when I drove one about 8 months ago I was pretty disappointed. The supercharged engine didn't give me the feeling of power or fun ... the handling was great but I need an engine that pulls sweetly and IMO the 330 engine pulls really well.

If I remember correctly, even the mini cooper S works type r whatever the hell version that just came out with 4 more HP than the Works s is still like a half a second slower 0-60 then your ZHP (and I really want to say its like 6.5 seconds or something ridiculous like that). And it costs like 30 large. Anyway, don't be fooled by the reported hp numbers. The times for this car don't seem to add up to the weight and HP. I think it is becuase this is peak hp arriving at late in the rpm band.

Other then the different look and cheaper payments, I don't know why the hell anyone would want to go from a ZHP to any Mini. Seems like a big step down on all accounts.

If I remember correctly, even the mini cooper S works type r whatever the hell version that just came out with 4 more HP than the Works s is still like a half a second slower 0-60 then your ZHP (and I really want to say its like 6.5 seconds or something ridiculous like that). And it costs like 30 large. Anyway, don't be fooled by the reported hp numbers. The times for this car don't seem to add up to the weight and HP. I think it is becuase this is peak hp arriving at late in the rpm band.

Other then the different look and cheaper payments, I don't know why the hell anyone would want to go from a ZHP to any Mini. Seems like a big step down on all accounts.

The Cooper S is a total blast to drive in corners - the ZHP feels heavier, less eager and more mature feeling - so I certainly can see how someone would choose the Mini. The Works kit is really pricey, even after it became a factory option. It's probably going to be more bang for the buck in the next version.

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"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." - Cherokee Expression

I previously owned both a 330I ZHP, and then an E46 M3, now driving a 2006 MCS and an Audi A3 for when I need more room. I don't consider the MINI a stepdown at all, just very different. The first thing you notice behind the wheel of the MINI is its 2600 or so lbs. Dropping 400-800 lbs from your current ride means catlike reflexes compared to the cushy 330I. The MCS is very visceral too, even more so than the M was. Firm, but not harsh ride, nicely weighted steering, nice aural whine when the supercharge spools up. Anyone that pooh poohs FWD handling hasn't driven a MCS very far. On a recent auto-X practice day, me and the 18 year old kid sharing my car were both turning faster times than the ZHP coupe there (also with several drivers) and even a couple of Vettes. The MINI is just plain fun (and easy) to drive. The question of whether you should get one or not is grayer. The MINI does have more room in it that most people think. Two people and all their gear for a trip, or four for a short ride is doable, I've had a couple of pretty large boxes in mine with the seats folded down. That said, I did get the A3 (my personal anti-SUV)for carrying larger loads. I like cars and enjoy owning and driving diverse ones. The M3 was sold because its mileage was getting too high, not because I didn't like it anymore. It was time to move on and I'd always wanted a MINI and don't regret it at all. No it won't beat a 330I in 0-60, but that car's hardly a dragracer either. I guess this is a long way of telling you I think you'll love the car. You've got a couple of months left to order an '06, or be brave and be an early adopter of the next gen.

I previously owned both a 330I ZHP, and then an E46 M3, now driving a 2006 MCS and an Audi A3 for when I need more room. I don't consider the MINI a stepdown at all, just very different. The first thing you notice behind the wheel of the MINI is its 2600 or so lbs. Dropping 400-800 lbs from your current ride means catlike reflexes compared to the cushy 330I. The MCS is very visceral too, even more so than the M was. Firm, but not harsh ride, nicely weighted steering, nice aural whine when the supercharge spools up. Anyone that pooh poohs FWD handling hasn't driven a MCS very far. On a recent auto-X practice day, me and the 18 year old kid sharing my car were both turning faster times than the ZHP coupe there (also with several drivers) and even a couple of Vettes. The MINI is just plain fun (and easy) to drive. The question of whether you should get one or not is grayer. The MINI does have more room in it that most people think. Two people and all their gear for a trip, or four for a short ride is doable, I've had a couple of pretty large boxes in mine with the seats folded down. That said, I did get the A3 (my personal anti-SUV)for carrying larger loads. I like cars and enjoy owning and driving diverse ones. The M3 was sold because its mileage was getting too high, not because I didn't like it anymore. It was time to move on and I'd always wanted a MINI and don't regret it at all. No it won't beat a 330I in 0-60, but that car's hardly a dragracer either. I guess this is a long way of telling you I think you'll love the car. You've got a couple of months left to order an '06, or be brave and be an early adopter of the next gen.

I've been in a Cooper S driven by someone a lot more reckless than me, and on hilly curvy backroads I doubt many street cars could keep up with it. I was probably a couple days away from giving up on finding my perfect ZHP and ordering a Cooper S.

I hear the new model is slightly less involving and raw, slightly more mature in typical BMW form. That sucks.

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"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." - Cherokee Expression